The Dream of a Lion
by BlackCat9
Summary: While Draco sleeps by her side, Hermione considers why the relationship will never work. *One Shot*


It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She was supposed to be dating Ron looking forward to graduation and maybe continuing her schooling in college.

Instead she was lying in bed with Harry's enemy and the man she had grow to love and hate. It was hard not to hate someone that forced her to lie to her friends every day of her life. That didn't stop him from being one of the most intelligent and witty men she knew.

That's why she kept coming back. That is why she wasn't getting up out of bed now that he was asleep and their business was over.

Draco shifted in his sleep, pressing his face further into the pillow. Hermione pulled the covers up around them both, resting her head on the pillow and watched him sleep.

The warm sensation in her belly wasn't lust, but affection.

How had this happened? How had she gone from punching the ferret to...to..to this.

She refused to say she loved him, because she was holding out for that moment when he would break everything apart. When he would go back to the Deatheaters and she would become his enemy once more. She would die if she was in love with him when that happened.

She knew it had to happen eventually. He didn't fit in with her existence. Harry and Ron wouldn't be able to handle him being one of the good guys.

Hermione wiped away a tear.

She had dreams of them all in a common room. Her leaned up against Draco while they both read their own books. Ron and Harry at the coffee table playing chess. Everyone coexisting in peace.

Hermione closed her eyes resting for a moment and trying to pull away from her fantasy.

Draco shifted again covers twisting. His arm went around her shoulder and she realized with a start that he was awake.

She opened her eyes to find him staring at her, eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of worry.He touch her cheek where the tear had fallen.

She closed her eyes, unable to handle the look of concern.

His arm tightened around her and she was pulled into his embrace. She relaxed into letting him take away the sorrow for a moment.

In the morning the would not speak of this. He would give no indication of seeing her weakness and they would part ways.

But for tonight she cried, trying to let it out before it exploded where everyone could see her break down.

Draco held her tightly and she suddenly wished she could know what he was thinking. Did he wish that he wasn't stuck with the mudblood? Did he find this display appalling and find it confirmed his assumptions of anyone who wasn't pureblood?

She shook away those thoughts. He had shown many ties that he had stopped thinking of her like that...but did that sort of racism ever truly die?

She pulled away from Draco far enough to see his face. His eyes had been closed and opened as she looked at him.

"Are you alright?" he asked voice a soft whisper

All of her fears fell away like a bad dream. She smiled and nodded, "Do you...are you..." she paused to take a breath then smiled painfully "I'll be fine"

He frowned not quite ready to leave it at that.

She kissed him deeply and smiled for real this time, "just irrational fears" she said explaining away her pain

He looked ready to question, but instead pulled her against his chest.

"I wish we could leave here. Go some place that didn't know who we were" he confessed quietly

She was surprised not only at the revelation, but his willingness to express it. She didn't push though, aware that if she did he would quickly become defensive, "So do I." she answered

A realization came to her as sleep was ready to take them over again. She still thought him as a pureblood son of a Deatheater.

It was strange to think of herself as prejudice and it felt heavy on her skin. She hugged him tightly, vowing to wake up in the morning with the back bone to stand with him in front of her friends. He deserved to be something more than a dirty little secret.

Ron and Harry would have to accept it, because...because she loved him.


End file.
